What is Influence & Who is an Influencer?
I have often seen so-called creators boast about their massive followings, views, likes, and money they earn from being an influencer.
While calling everyone an influencer is a damaging generalization, here is what influence means in the larger context of things -
Influence, at its core, is the ability to direct the actions, opinions, or decisions of others ( in the case of the internet - your audience). It's a form of direct or indirect power one exudes.
In the broader sense, influence can be negative, positive, or neutral.
For example, a teacher influencing a student to like a subject is a positive use case. A bully influencing someone to act rude or mean is a negative one.
According to Robert Cialdini, a leading expert in this area, and the author of the popular book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion" there are only 6 key principles that influence human decisions and actions:
1) Reciprocity:
We feel obligated to return favours. This is why giving a small gift or doing someone a favour can make people more receptive to your request later. You might have noticed creators and companies giving away free e-books, guides, how-to manuals, and discount offers to first-time visitors or buyers. That's nothing more than reciprocity in action. By doing this they are prompting you to subconsciously reciprocate their favour.
2) Commitment and Consistency:
People generally want to appear consistent in their actions and beliefs. Once they've taken a stand or made a decision, they're more likely to follow through. A new-age trend/challenge like 'Earning 10,000$ in 3 months' or Losing '10 Pounds in 1 Month' are great examples of showing commitment and consistency. Such trends have been garnering a lot of followers and viewerships on social media recently.
3) Social Proof:
We look to the actions of others to inform our own choices. If something is popular or endorsed by people we trust, we're more likely to consider it ourselves. The whole of the internet thrives on this principle. So much so, that we are pushed towards having an unconscious bias towards things that are popular among people of our age, ethnicity, culture, and demography. Since we have no parameters to measure the one-sided claims behind inflated numbers and testimonials, at times social proof can be a tricky path to walk on for influence.
4) Liking:
People are more likely to be persuaded by those they like or find similar to themselves. Influencers often build rapport and likeability with their audience. This one's pretty simple. People who like us, say things we like, and reinforce our ideas and feelings are far more likeable and agreeable than people who don't. Basic psychology is at play here.
5) Authority:
We tend to defer to figures of authority or expertise. Influencers can leverage this by showcasing their knowledge or achievements. There are several ways to showcase authority to influence. Concepts such as - experience, testimonials, use cases, and monetary accomplishments all are leveraged to build trust via authority.
6) Scarcity:
We perceive things as more valuable when they are limited or in short supply. Influencers may use this tactic by highlighting exclusive offers or limited-time deals. Things such as 'only for the next 23 hours', '100 seats left, and 'for the first 50 signups' - all such messaging showcase the scarcity of the resource. The goal here is to make you act as fast as possible.
Influencers (or pseudo-influencers) knowingly or unknowingly leverage the psychology of influence to build trust, engagement, and ultimately, their influence on their audience.
Most of the influence game today is a byproduct of imitation. Everybody is trying to imitate the influencers they place on a higher pedestal than themselves. From copying their tactics and messaging to even communication design and aesthetic appeal - sadly everything has been reduced to how much attention an influencer can capture from you.
But it is not all doom and gloom!
Influence is a powerful tool, leveraged by capitalists, political classes, leaders, and individuals to gain power over you and time and attention.
You can use these insights to decide how much you really want to be influenced.
Bring it to your attention, and see what influences you and how.
The ability to influence people without irritating them is the most profitable skill you can learn. – Napoleon Hill